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Go Green Brussels Sprouts Recipe

My favorite green vegetables of the moment are Brussels sprouts. It is often hard to find a tasty way to cook them. In the past I had always steamed them but found that the Brussels turned out too soft and mushy. This recipe bakes the Brussels sprouts to a crispy perfection!Brussels Sprouts 3

Ingredients: Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, pepper.

Directions: Start by washing your Brussels sprouts thoroughly, cutting the bottom off, and then slicing them in half. Place your halved Brussels in a mixing bowl. If some of the leaves fall off, add them to the bowl too…they will make a crispy treat when cooked!

Brussels Sprouts ©Nikol Klein

Toss the Brussels sprouts in a generous amount of olive oil, then season with salt and pepper to your taste. Next I bake them in the oven at 450 for 25-30 minutes or until they start to brown and the outside leaves look crispy.

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Once your Brussels sprouts are finished you can add a little more salt or pepper if needed. Pair this tasty vegetable with fish or chicken for dinner tonight!Cooked Brussels Sprouts

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Simply Tasty Garlic Kale Chips

Mar 10

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I will admit it, I am a kale addict. If you haven’t tried kale before, it is a hearty leafy green that is part of the cabbage family. You can eat it raw as a salad or steamed to name a few ways of preparing it. Today I am going to give you a simple and tasty recipe for making kale chips. If you love having a crispy snack like popcorn, you will love kale chips!

Kale ©Nikol Klein

What you will need: Kale (pre-cut and pre-washed recommended), garlic powder, pepper, salt, olive oil.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by tossing your pre-cut kale in olive oil in a bowl. Next add garlic powder and pepper to taste. I use a garlic pepper combo from Whole Foods. Next add a bit of salt. Spread your kale out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until the kale is crispy and the edges start to brown. DO NOT over cook! Enjoy!

Kale2 ©Nikol Klein

OliveOli ©Nikol Klein

Kale3 ©Nikol Klein

Posted in fitness, Fitness News, nutrition, weight loss

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Memorial Day BBQ Healthy Alternatives

Planning something special for the Memorial Day weekend? I don’t know about you, but I have a Memorial Day backyard barbeque planned at my home on Monday to celebrate. Often the hardest part when planning a holiday party is finding the right foods to eat that won’t ruin all of the hard work you have done in the gym and in the kitchen. Making a few key choices or substitutions can make a world of a difference come meal time.

Watermelon Arugula Salad (click for recipe)

Pasta salad or potato salad are always a presence at cookouts but they can leave you feeling heavy and bloated. Why not make a quinoa salad instead? Add grape tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, feta, and some spices to complement the rest of your meal. If you absolutely cannot go without pasta salad try using gluten free pasta instead of regular or whole wheat. Or try the recipe for Whole Foods Watermelon Arugula Salad by clicking the photo above.

Grilled Veggies

Resist the temptation to make potatoes, french fries, or other heavy carbohydrate rich foods. Instead why not grill some veggies? There is way more flavor and variety in grilled veggies. You can grill zucchini, corn on the cob, asparagus, and portobello mushrooms for example.

Whole Foods Chicken Sausage

Hot dogs and hamburgers are a staple when it comes to grilling, so why not go the extra step and find a healthier alternative? I will be grilling Whole Foods chicken sausage with gluten free buns, of course. I will also go organic with all of the toppings like mustard, ketchup and relish. These simple changes can make a world of a difference. I have been gluten free for months now, so why blow it on a hamburger bun!

Skip calorie dense appetizers or deserts and go with watermelon instead. Melon can actually help stave off hunger due to it’s high water content that creates a feeling of fullness. This also means that you will be less likely to over eat.

I hope you find something from my blog that you want to use for your healthy Memorial Day Barbeque! Enjoy your holiday weekend.

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Be Core Confident in a Crop!

In the Spring and Summer of 2011 I noticed that the hem of what were once extra long shirts was starting to rise and the cropped, midriff baring shirt was making a comeback. Now that Fall (and soon Winter) are upon us this trend is not going anywhere. Cropped sweaters and jackets here to stay so what about your abs? No one wants to bare a midriff that resembles that of a muffin top. Add a cropped shirt to those skinny jeans that you squeezed into and there is not much room for error. Here are a few exercises and tips on how you can shape your body to look phenomenal in a crop top.

Tip #1: Eat healthy to beat bloat. Not everyone knows it, but a flat tummy starts with a healthy diet. Stay away from excess sodium or neutralize it by drinking lots of water. Steer clear of salty foods, sugar and alcohol if you are choosing to wear a crop on a night where you want to look flawless.

Eat balanced, well portioned meals.

Tip #2: Shop true to size. While skinny jeans are meant to fit tight, this doesn’t mean they need to strangle your waistline. Choose a higher rise pant (but not high rise…eek!) or wear pants that are a bit more forgiving in the waist so that there is no room for a pooch to find it’s way out! No matter how thin you are, if your pants are too tight muffin top will creep out.

Classic example of the muffin top with a crop!

Tip # 3 Exercise. After healthy eating, exercising is the second best thing that you can do to avoid excess fat in the mid-section. Try to workout at least five days per week including cardiovascular exercises like running on three or four* of those days (*consistency is approximate). Core conditioning exercises will also help but understand that all of the crunches in the world will not replace healthy eating.

Try an ab twisting exercise like this one to target the obliques.

Tip #4 Layer. While layering can add bulk to an outfit, it can also create a slender illusion with a cropped shirt, if done correctly. Use your fashion smarts, browse photos online, or ask a sales person for help if you are unsure how to wear a crop.

Audrina Patridge always perfectly pulls off a crop.

So dare to bare a little midriff this Fall/Winter but don’t forget to wear a jacket!

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Healthy Fall Comfort Foods

I don’t know about you but Fall is my favorite time of the year. The weather is starting to get cooler, the leaves are changing my favorite shades of red, orange and brown, and the smell of comfort food is in the air. So how can you resist those Fall sweet temptations? Don’t resist at all, just spice things up the healthy way! Today I am going to talk about my favorite Fall comfort vegetable, the sweet potato.

While staying fit and healthy may require skipping the stuffing and mashed potatoes, it also means loading up on healthy comfort foods like yams (or sweet potatoes). In fact, yams are one of the best vegetables that you can eat. They are loaded with Vitamin A, B, C, fiber, iron, and potassium which are an important part of any diet but especially for those of you who are weight training. It definitely helps that they taste good too.

How to prepare- Sweet potatoes can be prepared a variety of ways. You can boil them, bake them, saute (sliced or cubed), mash them, or even throw them on the grill wrapped in foil.

What to serve with- My favorite healthy way to serve up a sweet potato is with a piece of grilled salmon and asparagus. The flavors will blend for the ultimate healthy Fall treat.

How to season- The popular way to season sweet potatoes is with loads of fatty butter, but there are alternatives. Try a low fat margarine and add just a touch of brown sugar for a decadent dinner treat so good that you won’t crave dessert.

So next time you are craving a Fall comfort food dinner on a chilly night pick up a few sweet potatoes from your local market and get creative!

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Spice up Your Salad

Aug 28

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Bored with your salad? If you want your weight loss goals to be a success, you have to eat your greens. Lettuce and the other raw vegetables in your salad contain important nutrients. Romaine lettuce, for example, contains Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and is an excellent source of dietary fiber. I often recommend a salad a day to my nutrition clients.

So how do you make a boring salad taste good? There are many flavorful natural ingredients that you can add to a salad without adding too much fat or calories. Of course, a variety of salad dressings is a good start. I recommend keeping a few different salad dressings in the fridge so that you don’t get tired of the same one. This way, if you don’t have a lot of ingredients on tap to throw into the salad, you can still enjoy a different flavor.

Here are a few healthy salad ideas for you to try!

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Southwestern Chicken Salad: On top of those greens add chipotle grilled chicken breast, corn, chopped tomatoes, black beans, shredded cheddar cheese, and a low fat ranch dressing.

Chinese Chicken Salad: On top of iceburg lettace and shredded cabbage add grilled chicken breast, mandarin oranges, sugar snap peas, carrots, and peanuts topped with a lowfat peanut vinagrette dressing.

Grape and Feta Salad: On romaine lettuce add sliced grapes, slivered almonds, red onion, and feta cheese. Use a simple balsamic vinagrette for dressing.

Have fun trying these simple salad recipes! You can always substitute salmon, shrimp, or steak for grilled chicken. Enjoy.

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